


Echelon

by reina_connected



Category: Powerpuff Girls
Genre: Action, Adult Content, Adults, Aged-Up Character(s), Anger, Angst and Tragedy, Anti-Hero, Blood and Violence, Butchubbles, Crime Fighting, Drama, Emotional Manipulation, Epic Battles, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/F, F/M, First Love, Flashbacks, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Future, Future sex scenes, Grief/Mourning, Heavily Butch focused, I promise to make it super dramatic but also funny, Inspiration from King of Monsters, Just stay tuned and check it out for yourself, M/M, Manipulation, Monsters, Multi, Other, Please have patience, Post-Apocalypse, Science Fiction, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, Some relationships will change, Superheroes, Teenagers, boomercup, reds implied, yes there is reds
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-06
Updated: 2020-11-06
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:55:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27412303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reina_connected/pseuds/reina_connected
Summary: After battling the post-apocalyptic creatures of the future for 9 years the Powerpuff Girls might have finally met their match. 12 years later another wave is beginning to build and the most unlikely of heroes are the ones on the front lines. In a world where heroes work through an organization and ancient gods rest beneath the Earth's surface nothing is unlikely, even recapturing the vision of a heart's deepest desire.This story is partially teen years with flashbacks and then adulthood.
Relationships: Boomer/Buttercup Utonium, Brick/Blossom Utonium, Butch/Bubbles Utonium
Comments: 3
Kudos: 11





	Echelon

As the flock of sparrows took flight into the clear air of the suburbs outside of Townsville, another rumble tremored through the ground, smoke and dust rose into the once crisp blue sky as a glass building shattered down upon itself. Sirens were screaming above all other sounds, and as the three streaks of their saviors darted and whipped around the true cause of the chaos was revealed. Townsville had a rich history in villains and monsters; From the depths of the sea and to the very depths of hell itself, some of the most loathsome and foul creatures had battered at the shores only to be sent back from where they came.

This battle however, this one was different.

It wasn’t a normal creature, or one spun from the twisted imagination of HIM. It _was_ HIM. But there was something wrong, something unlike the lavish and theatric dramatics that the city and the heroes had become accustomed to. It towered at fifty stories in length, the body was thick enough to where it looked like it could swallow a skyscraper with ease. The usually devilish face was warped into something they had never seen before, the skin of it’s mouth peeled away for a muzzle and jaws of a deer, the bones were impossibly white and the teeth of the herbivore were jagged and pointed. It’s left eye socket was bulging and dark, within the eye it was cloudy and twisting in a spiral, within that spiral was the motion of static on a broken TV.

Whatever deal HIM had made to cause chaos to erupt in it’s body like this was unlike anything the girls had seen before. A crown of antlers twisted from HIM’s skull and cupped around like a halo, debris and lifeless bodies were crushed within the white bones. It swung it’s head on a slightly longer neck, the front of the chest was still that of a fit man but it broke down into two clawed feet. The body had elongated into something of a centipede with ten clawed legs reaching out of the inflamed red skin. To increase damage more so it sported a scorpion-like tail with a mass of pointed and jagged bones at the end instead of a stinger.

The remaining electric green eye swung mockingly in it’s socket as it searched out it’s prey. Despite no longer having lips the bone jaws opened and out of the static mouth it began to taunt the girls, “you can’t hide forever, _darlings_ ,” it sounded like an old time radio was projecting it’s usually clear voice. HIM hissed the last word and four clawed legs hauled it partially up a building that was engulfed in flames.

A piercing sound came from the side and the raspy voice bellowed, “who said we were hiding?” Her booted foot slammed into the partially exposed cheekbone, there was a loud crack as the neck twisted under the force, a long and cone shaped tongue lolled out of the mouth and the eyes crinkled in a way that would call for a smile. As it raised a scorpion-like tail behind it’s hulking mass it was slammed with a stream of ice to encase this dangerous stinger.

It opened it’s jaws and the scream that echoed out of it’s gaping maw was deafening, windows shattered all around the city. Buttercup and Blossom clasped their hands to their ears, Buttercup gritting down hard enough she felt like she might crack a tooth. A shot of bright blue moved past and an equally deafening ultrasonic scream was pouring from the mouth of Bubbles. It was enough to keep the waves from hitting her sisters who floated behind her in the smokey sky.

“Thanks, Bubbles-,” Blossom started.

“Good thinkin’,” Buttercup wheezed.

Now HIM seemed to be repositioning itself as it slammed the tail against the ground to break the ice that enclosed it. Blossom looked with tired eyes at her sisters, they looked pretty rough and this battle had been going on longer than they were used to. Buttercup’s pants were completely ripped from the knees down, the collar of her jacket singed, and dark bruises were already forming on her face and partially exposed arms.

Even though Bubbles didn’t jump into the fray as quickly as Buttercup even Blossom could see the swelling of her cheekbone beginning, her skirt that was completely shredded on one side, the singed ends of her pigtails, and the partially melting rubber on her sneakers.

Blossom didn’t even want to know what she looked like, she could smell the stench of burning hair and knew her long ponytail was likely missing a few inches. Her jacket was singed and tattered on the bottom and she could feel the swelling in her right knee. They had been in difficult battles before over the last nine years but this… they’d never experienced this before. Blossom wasn’t even sure how long they would last at this point in time.

Through static the frantic voice of the professor echoed through the headsets the girls now had. “Girls? Girls! I can ba-..ly… see… -ou.”

Heaving a shaky breath Blossom pressed the button on her own headset, “w-we’re O.K., we just need to figure out a plan.” She stiffened her upper lip, her eyes swung between both sisters and the desperation in their own was a reflection of everything she was trying not to feel in that moment.

Bubbles pressed her own headset, “did everyone get evacuated?” Beneath their floating bodies they could see the dark form of HIM moving beneath the smoke, the creature was moving more slowly as it moved around overturned cars, crushing them beneath it’s heavy steps. The audible gulp from Bubbles left her throat feeling dry and she whipped her frightened eyes in Blossom’s direction, “what do we do?”

For the first time in a while Buttercup clasped her blonde sister’s hand in her own, gripping tightly beneath her fingerless gloves onto a hand that had always been there. “HIM’s getting ready down there,” Buttercup locked eyes with Blossom as she squeezed Bubbles’ hand tighter, “I won’t let anything happen to you.” This caused Bubbles’ lip to tremble and her eyes welled with tears that she quickly tried to wipe away with the back of her hand. All she did was swipe dirt and grime around her face.

Crackling over their headsets again the Professor’s voice broke through again, “-ending.. chem-..cal X, ..old-..ight,” In a panic Blossom’s eyes widened and she clicked the button.

“Daddy! Don’t send them in here!” No sooner were the words out than a harsh grinding from below rumbled through the sky and a skyscraper went toppling down in the direction the girls were floating.

“Blossom!” Bubbles screeched, her hand reaching out towards her sister, but Buttercup released her other hand to shoot forward. She didn’t even make it twenty feet before that tail came and thwacked her out of the air and barreling into the broken cement below. Out of the smoke in front of her came the gruesome pointed teeth of HIM as they attempted to crush down on the blonde.

Blossom was braced and fell roughly thirty feet from the force of part of the building coming down on her. Luckily, she broke through the glass, surging past abandoned cubicles and through flimsy drywall until she emerged from the other side of the building. Bright crimson droplets of blood fell through the sky as the pink streak raced through the sky, sparks of magenta and rose were flying over her fingertips and engulfing her hands in a bright glow as she surged forward and projected the powerful attack onto HIM’s body.

Surprised by the attack, HIM twisted and begun to fall, a long clawed foot reached to take Bubbles down with it, but the girl was fast, ending up instead with only her leg sliced open from knee to ankle. The loud surgency beneath them became clear as the bright lime colored light broke through the dust and smoke. Buttercup had her fist balled up as she connected with the creature, but this flipped HIM over in the air and the creature was able to scramble back up to it’s feet.

“Damnit,” she hissed, “we’ve tried Furious Fiery Feline, Razzle Dazzle, and Mega Blast Beam. Why won’t it stay down?” her chest was heaving and she gave a smack of her head, “I’m so stupid, I should’ve just let HIM fall.”

“No you’re not,” Blossom reassured her, “I just need a moment to think, that’s all.” This was her specialty and she was failing her sisters at this very moment. Her head snapped up and she twisted through the air just in time to avoid being impaled on a metal pole. Bubbles screamed her name again, but now her eyes were aglow with that icy blue, her hands engulfed in the glow her sisters had earlier displayed.

She began hurtling blasts downwards at the creature, it’s mocking boney muzzle would break through the smoke and open up just wide enough to let out a cackle of staticky laughter. “Why. Won’t. You. Stay. Down!” the words escaped her mouth as she launched each attack, out of the corner of her eye she could see Blossom flanking it’s left and begin to blow a stream of ice on the side and legs of the creature.

As she was rounding to return to where Bubbles was floating Blossom was nicked by the tail, the force sent her spinning through the air as she braced for impact. “I got you!” Buttercup barreled into her leader, her arms scooping her taller sister into a more secure position.

“Thanks,” Blossom breathed, she could feel her body was trying to give in to the pain that was bleeding through the adrenaline. “Let’s try an inferno attack.” Buttercup gave a nod as she released Blossom to her own self. Bubbles quickly joined them, sweat was running down her face as small strands of hair began to stick to her skin.

“You have a plan,” she said it with assurance that even Blossom didn’t feel, but the red head nodded .

“Inferno; We’ll dive hard and intertwine, we just need to build up enough energy.” Without waiting for a response from either of her sisters Blossom jerked her arms, concentrating in covering herself within the pretty rose colored flames. As her own body ignited she caught in the corner of her own eye the bright chartreuse and ultramarine pop up beside her. “Let’s go.”

Shooting upwards in the sky they rose above the smoke and clouds, already they began weaving in and out of one another to disperse anything that could be vision obstructing. As they climbed above the clouds Blossom could feel as her sisters own fingertips brushed her body and vice-versa. There was comfort in knowing she wasn’t alone and yet there was a knot in her heart as she knew she was leading them back into a life threatening situation.

Their powers had been so sporadic and unpredictable lately, overuse the Professor had said, so concentrating every ounce of Chemical X into their abilities was equally as worrying as the threat below.

“Dive!” Her shout broke as the three moved in unison, acting as a flaming drill they barreled back through the sky and ripped past the crumbling stone and metal buildings. She could hear Buttercup’s own war cry as she pushed her fists forward, the adolescent forcing all her drive and rage into the beast. Even Bubbles was seeing red, the glare on her pretty features was so reminiscent of all the times she had been pushed too far and taken down so many others that should have killed her.

Their connection with HIM was skewed as the creature went to dive out of the way, it arched it’s long abdomen and back, but the girls felt the connection of blood and flesh. The acidity of HIM’s blood bit into their skin, Bubbles felt herself grow dizzy with it and Buttercup’s left arm continued to take the brunt of the damage as she used it to shield her eyes.

“Keep going!” Blossom’s voice rang out with desperation and pain. As they rounded a building to doubt back to the creature Buttercup was smirking with satisfaction. Two legs had been ripped off of it’s body, and the wound was grave as inky and sludge-like blood oozed onto the broken street below.

It turned it’s grotesque head in their direction and alarm bells went off in Blossom’s head. That crinkling around the eyes was mocking her, the laughter that emitted from the opened jaws only confirmed that. Fear welled up within Bubbles and she felt her pace falter slightly, they were out of sync.

Blossom tried to call her next command, “disperse! Quic-,” but her voice was cut short as that long tail whipped from beside the creature and slammed into all three of the girls.

Hurtling through the sky they slammed through at least two apartment buildings before Buttercup managed to grab Bubbles under the arms and Blossom was able to reach out and intertwine fingers with her dark haired sister. Instead of moving as three entities they moved as one as they finally slowed when they burst through a glass window and made contact with the office floor. The carpet had slowed their impact and each of the girls used the rubber of the bottoms of their shoes to slow them down.

Bubbles rolled out of Buttercup’s arm and tried to push herself up from her knees, a low hiss and a whimper left her lips as she pulled up in front of her face a broken wrist. Blood was running down Buttercup’s face and when she touched the hot and sticky liquid she knew immediately she had broken her nose.

“Hey, Bloss?” Buttercup turned her head to see tears rolling down her leader’s cheeks, her kneecap had become dislocated, and her hands were shaking as she was trying to regain her senses. “Blossom!” Buttercup rolled over and scrambled to her feet, she hocked out a loogie of blood from her mouth as she regained her balance.

Using her other leg to help herself up Blossom tried to reassure, “I’m okay, I just need to sit down.”

Buttercup was the shortest of the sisters but managed to get under Blossom’s arm and assist her over to a desk that was tossed onto it’s side. “Hold still, Bubbles is better at this shit than I am.”

As Buttercup helped Bubbles up the sound of jets from the nearby airbase sounded overhead, the three girls looked out the shattered window and could see a few small explosions hit where HIM had been stationed, but then long black tentacles came flourishing outwards and one jet was smacked into plummeting into a fiery explosion. The impact shook the ground just enough for the tinkling of glass to sound around the empty building.

“Fuck.”

“Watch your language.”

Three more piercing sounds shot through the sky and came crashing through one of the cracked windows. Relief and worry melted through Blossom’s face as the red headed adolescent rushed forward to her. “Brick.”

The three faces of Rowdyruff Boys showed alarm as they rushed over to the girls, small medical bags were slung across their backs that the Professor had sent. Buttercup has already ripped off the sleeve of her jacket and was wrapping Bubbles’ wrist and hand up tightly. She didn’t look up as Boomer rushed over, the blonde’s face was knit with worry but all Buttercup managed was, “you shouldn’t have come.”

“You need us,” Boomer pleaded, but Bubbles whipped an angry expression in his direction, not something she had done since they had become friends four years ago.

“It’s dangerous!” She was scolding them, but behind her Butch placed both his hands on her shoulders and forced her to sit back down on the floor, her legs folded with little resistance.

“Your dad wouldn’t have asked us to deliver this to you if you didn’t need it.” She looked into his still boyish face and didn’t see the teasing glint in his eye or the crooked grin, dejected she looked away, her bottom lip trembling. When Butch was serious with her she knew she couldn’t fight him off. “Aw, c’mon, don’t go cryin’ on me now, little bird.”

She swiped at her eyes again with the back of her hand, “’m not.”

He gave her a pat on the head before turning and looking at Buttercup, “let me fix your nose, Butters,” but she just leaned away from him.

“Don’t you fuckin’ try it, Butch.”

Luckily for both Boomer and Butch they were taller than the toughest fighter and Boomer was able to sneak from behind, grab her nose with one hand and push it back into place with a crack. She was clutching at her face as she went down on her knees, her eyes watering from discomfort, “fuck you guys.”

Butch shrugged and laughed, “I didn’t even have to touch you!”

She flipped him the bird and Butch gave it right back, feeling some satisfaction in the small upturn of her lips.

He took the bag that Boomer had slung over his shoulder and nodded towards where Blossom was seated and Brick was standing. “You know how squeamish he is,” and Boomer immediately dashed over.

“On it!” He slid to a stop as he noticed Brick going through the bag, placing the needle with the Chemical X in Blossom’s hands. “Remember he said to set any injuries they have before administering it.”

Irritated and disgruntled Brick managed, “I know, I know.” He looked into Blossom’s face who winced when Boomer lifted her leg slightly. “You okay, Red?”

Taking her attention away from Boomer, who was bouncing her leg in small increments to get the kneecap back into place, Blossom sighed and tried a smile, “as much as I can be.” She looked past him and Boomer to watch Butch administer the injections into both of her sisters, near their worst injuries. They still would have fractures but it was better than the full breaks they had suffered. Boomer forced her leg into one harsh jerk and the kneecap popped into place. Blossom yelped and clutched at her righted knee, happy it was fixed but still noticing the discomfort.

“We can help, you know,” Brick administered the injection close to her knee before disposing it and pulling out some firm black fabric. With this he looped it around her knee and partially up her frayed shorts, only slightly embarrassed. “We know what HIM is like, we can-,” but he was interrupted by Blossom’s fingers on his lips, the pity and sadness in her large pink eyes made him stop. He should be pissed off, she knows how tough he and his brothers are, she knows they can help.

“This isn’t like any HIM we’ve encountered before. Something… something is very wrong.” There was a gravity in her voice that kept the young teen from protesting. He took her dirty and bloodied up hand in both of his own and stared down hard at it. If you’d have told any of these boys that the Powerpuff Girls would be some of the most important people in their lives four years ago then they would’ve laughed in your face. Yet here they were, and Brick lifted his face to look her directly in the eye.

“I just don’t like seeing you get hurt like this, Red. Not you, or Bubs, or Butters. You’re…” he wasn’t sure where he was going with this. He was fucking fourteen, he’d been living the most normal life he could’ve imagined in the last four years and hadn’t needed to confront anything so serious before.

She simply smiled, “I don’t want to see you get hurt either, not you, or Boom, or Butch. This is our job.” Her smile was a sad one, and although she hoped her expression was reassuring she could see how grim Brick’s face was.

“It’s a fucking awful job,” he hissed out, trying to ignore the chaos outside as the air force bought them time.

Without even correcting his use of a curse word Blossom tried hard not to pick at the damaged uniform shorts, “sometimes.”

Meanwhile Boomer was trying to make Buttercup laugh as he forced her to gently blow out the clots of blood that were still stuck in her nose. “I didn’t think I’d have to help you with this until you got drunk or something.”

“What makes you think I’d break my nose when I’m drunk?”

“What doesn’t? You’re totally accident prone when you get cocky.”

“Take that back!”

“Keep blowing slowly, you dork.” Begrudgingly Buttercup followed his suggestion and Boomer turned to see that Butch was retightening the bind to Bubbles’ wrist. Bubbles flicked those normally lively eyes in his direction and that seemed to say enough to him. Turning his attention back to a grumbling Buttercup. He wanted to stay positive in this situation, he wasn’t stupid and knew how dangerous things were but he had to keep some light alive.

Swatting Butch’s hand away, Bubbles tried to reassure him, “I’m fine, really, you and Buttercup took care of the worst part already.”

Keeping his voice lowered, Butch leaned in, “if you ask me to help you guys I will, Blossom doesn’t have to give me the O.K., I’ll do it if you ask me too.” There was so much of him that needed to help these girls more than they currently were, he remembered feeling like he was drowning in his past when his dads and the girls came and fished him and his brothers up. It’s what he had to do now for them. He tried on a sly grin but it felt forced and stiff, giving a wink he whispered, “it’ll be our little secret, just between me and a little birdy.”

Her face was blank while she took in his words, and finally a small smile pulled at her lips, one that reached those big blue eyes. She placed her injured hand on the side of his face and leaned her forehead onto his, his skin felt so hot to her own clammy temperature but it just made her fingers flex against his cheek as if she was resisting on digging them in and melding into his own skin. Butch had been the most difficult to earn the trust of, but once she had she knew he’d come to her side no matter what.

It made sense why he and Buttercup were “best bros” and how quick he was to jump into a fight by her side. She’d watched him teach Blossom to loosen up and pull her first real prank. Granted, it was a disaster, but she’d laughed so hard even with her hair covered in green slime. All three of the boys had fallen so easily into their live four years ago, like missing puzzle pieces they hadn’t been aware of. Their counterparts were so much more than what they had been created for. Sometimes she and Brick liked to talk about the “red string of fate” and how all six of them were tied together and how it’d just been a matter of time until they were drawn to one another.

Butch was frozen in place, he’d been lying if he hadn’t thought of the girls in any sort of romantic light. He’d always figured in his youth that it was just his hormones and it’s not like the girls saw them in any light _other_ than their friends. She’d always poked at the scars surrounding his heart, wrapping her fingers around his and grinning at him as if he’d brought her the stars when he’d only shared a bit of himself instead.

His hand hesitated for a moment as he raised it up but he dropped it onto the top of her head, almost reflexively she pushed her forehead harder into his and exhaled shakily. This Bubbles was so different than the one who taught him how to be open, this one was frightened. He could sense it in every fiber of her being and he was at a loss as to what to do.

Tentatively he moved his hand down the side of her face and whispered, “what are you thinking about?”

She inhaled deeply, Bubbles could hear another bellowing screech coming from HIM and she closed her eyes. If she was ever in a dark room she would know how to find all three of the boys, just like she’d be able to pick out her own family members. The scents that lingered on their hair and skin was comforting, which maybe was why Bubbles still climbed into bed with one of her sisters when she had nightmares. Butch smelled like spearmint, the smell of earth after it rained, and something in her head told her it was green fire, though she didn’t have an exact name for it. Right now she was clinging onto this earthly tie, terrified of letting it go.

Soon she and her sisters would be back to inhaling the scent of dust and smoke, of burning bodies of those who hadn’t escaped, and the unmistakable metallic stench of blood.

Her eyes flicked open at the sound of Blossom getting to her feet, and she pulled away from those comforts she’d been holding onto. “Just stay safe, O.K?” Her voice was small as she dropped her hand from his face and stood up. Part of Butch found himself flushing, finally taking notice of the shredding the skirt had endured on the one side, his eyes moved away as he stood and dusted himself off.

His hand moved to his chest briefly, the hard thud had surprised him. He’d seen this girl in her swimsuit, before they were thirteen they’d all piled into the same bed together during a joined family vacation, she’d sat on his lap and applied makeup to his face when Brick or Blossom refused to partake. He was being stupid, he remembered what some older boys said about ‘ _reading into things too much_ ,’ he was a Rowdyruff Boy and she was… Bubbles.

Bubbles was already walking over to where Blossom was standing, and with great care helped her in retyping her scorched red ribbon around her shortened ponytail. Buttercup was standing and whipped off her already destroyed jacket and let it fall to the floor. “Your uniform-,” Boomer started but she shrugged.

“It’s wrecked, dude.” She dusted her hands on her torn up pants and made a face at the first degree burns that were finally stalled by the administered Chemical X. Boomer rolled his eyes and shucked off his own denim jacket and tossed it onto her head. “Hey!”

“You need better protection than just your bare skin.” He gave a teasing flick to her nose that she rubbed at.

“I just got it reset, you trying to break it all over again?” She huffed but pulled the jacket on. Luckily for her Boomer was lean as she was, though he’d finally gotten about a head and a half taller than her, and the jacket wasn’t enormously oversized. He cuffed the sleeves as she buttoned it up. “Thanks,” the denim did feel better on her worn feeling skin, and more than that it was clean. “Papa Holt just washed this, didn’t he?” Her face was all too knowing.

Sheepishly Boomer gave a small shrug, “you know it drives him crazy when I write on my sleeves, but he let me copy everything off of it beforehand.”

Buttercup’s head turned as another explosion ran out and she exchanged a look with Blossom who said, “they’re running out of time.”

Putting a hand around Blossom’s wrist, Brick pleaded with her one more time, “let us help, Blossom. _Please_.” She jerked in surprise that he was using her actual name, knowing there was sincerity in those ruby red eyes. Biting her lower lip she just gave two brief flicks of the eyes to both Boomer and Butch before gently removing Brick’s hand.

“We’ve got this, if you can just make no one is on the fringe of the city and has backed away further than that will be an immense help.”

Buttercup seemed to sense where her leader was going with this and patted Boomer on the arm, “knowing you guys checked the area will mean we can _really_ go all out. No holding back,” the confident smirk on her lips made Boomer and Butch hesitantly give small smiles at her. Buttercup was nothing if not a tough bitch.

All three girls lined up together as the boys pulled the bags back across their chests, Brick looked seriously at Blossom and the corner of his mouth twitched, “you better not die, Red. We have too much unfinished business.”

Her eyes were half lidded as she remarked, “so much for using my name.” Weakly she laughed before indicating with her head, “go. We can take it from here.”

Buttercup and Butch gave one another a fist bump and Boomer pulled both Blossom and Bubbles into a crushing hug before backing away. The three heroes painted on faces of confidence as the three former villains moved to the open window, hesitating Brick turned, “they’ll pull the military out once they see us leave.” Blossom just nodded back at him.

“I know.”

Gritting his teeth Brick turned back to the red and orange sky, another tentacle whipped up from the ground a few hundred feet away and he felt a cold shiver through his veins. Both brothers were by his side as he launched off, the gust of wind from their take off blew the loose hairs around the faces of the girls.

Now Buttercup and Bubbles looked at Blossom, they knew that Buttercup had been talking out of her ass. They’d been going as hard as their abilities would allow them.

Suddenly the Professor’s voice broke through their headsets, “… girls! I just- aw the Rowd-uff… leave. Are-..ou O.K?”

Touching her headset Blossom started, “yes, thank you for sending them in. Prof- dad? I don’t know how much longer w-we ca-a-an,” her voice was breaking up as her lips trembled and now she roughly swiped at her own eyes as Bubbles had done earlier.

“Daddy, we’re _so tired_ ,” there was something broken in the way Bubbles said it, and Buttercup was clutching both of their hands in her own as she looked down at the shards of glass scattered across the carpet. Her own vision became fuzzy as she felt the tears well up In them but fought to keep them from sliding down her cheeks. Bubbles just had two long tracks of tears running down her face, but she sniffled and wiped at her nose.

The headset was quiet for a moment while there was empty air being broadcast, but then his voice reached them without breaking up, “…I love you, girls…,” Blossom heaved a choking breath as his next message was more broken up. “Pl-..se come ba-… home. You do-..t need t-.. -eep fig-..ting, just co-..e h-..me...”

The three pairs of eyes all looked at one another before Blossom tapped her headset, “we love you too, dad.” She pulled the headset off from around her ear and her sisters did the same, dropping them on the carpeted floor. Blossom looked at Bubbles, “remember when you shot out that red lightning as Mojo?”

“Kind of…?”

“I need you to do that again, that was enough to stun both Buttercup and me.” Now she turned to look at Buttercup, “I know that the telekinesis is new but if you can try incasing HIM in whatever you can-,” Buttercup was nodding.

“You got it, Bloss.” She punched her own hand with her fist, “what about you?”

“I’ll try to freeze it in place with my ice breath, maybe go after the head,” she stated. Turning back to the city she stepped forward, “let’s not keep HIM waiting.”

**\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -**

“Girls? Girls!” Frantically Professor John H. Utonium was jamming his finger on the button that connected him to their headsets, he had set up a make-shift sort of lab on the top of his roof so he could get a better look at and hear the chaos erupting within the city. So far two drones he had sent in had been destroyed in the fracas and his lab intern had pleaded with him not to send in anymore until after the battle was done. The poor university student had gone to try to phone his parents again, praying they had made it into one of the bunkers the city had installed twenty years prior.

John jumped at the touch of someone’s hand on his shoulder and tensely he turned to see Alec Blackwell looking at him with worry. “John, let me take over, I’m not unfamiliar with the atmosphere.” Alec had been special forces during the resurgence of humanity and technology after the first post apocalypse in third world countries as a young man and adult.

“No, it’s- I can’t get a hold of the girls,” John admitted, as Alec was about to say something further, he noticed the crimson, pine, and navy streaks make a rounded turn around the city’s perimeter.

Pointing them out to the Professor, Alec tried, “there are the boys, I’m sure they’ll shed some light on the whole situation. Looks like the girls asked them to do a quick check.”

Shaking his head John managed, “yes, yes you’re probably right. I just- to hear them over the headset… I just want them to come _home_.” The grief in John’s voice was palpable, and all Alec could do was give the man an expression of worry. Though it wasn’t as if John was even looking at him. Alec knew better than to say the girls would come home, he’d made that mistake as a young man in action. _Never make a promise you can’t keep_.

Instead he tried honesty, “they’re tough girls, John.”

They really were. After the boys had settled in with him and Holt they were reintroduced back into regular society with the first people greeting them being the Powerpuffs. Although it had been more of a make-sure-the-boys-don’t-slide-back situation they’d melted into one another’s lives, it made life a lot easier to have the girls pull the boys into normalcy. Especially when they were super-powered children. All six of those kids got each other, the struggles and uncertainty, the new changes and growth of their abilities, and having fun without creating too much destruction along the way.

In the distant city Alec could see the bright arch of the rose, ultramarine, and chartreuse colors that signaled the girls were on the move again. John seemed to as well as he sighed, “thank god.” His eyes were wet as he tried to hold it together, now using the other radio scanner he had to fiddle around and listen to the police chatter as they monitored much more closely.

A bolt of scarlet sprung from somewhere within the city and a long dark object seemed to reach out, taking off the top floors of a large building. That large chunk of building was quickly engulfed in green as it hovered and then barreled through the sky with immense force. The girls were certainly giving HIM a run for it’s money. And knowing that his own boys had come partially from that monster… even though they were teens he and Holt always reassured them that they were nothing like HIM. In his eyes they never could be.

A high pitched streak cut through the air as the boys arrived on the scene, they were dirty and Boomer was missing his jacket. As soon as Boomer’s sneakers hit the roof he asked, “where’s Papa Holt?”

Lifting his eyebrows Alec remarked, “so he doesn’t see that you came back missing your jacket?” 

Slightly embarrassed Boomer admitted, “I gave it to Buttercup, her’s was destroyed and I thought she needed better protection on her arms.”

Alec’s face softened and he opened an arm, “c’mere,” and Boomer stepped into his’s foster father’s side, feeling comforted by the weight of his strong hand on his shoulder. Boomer was quickly gaining inches on his family, he was surpassing Brick and just a little shorter than Butch was currently. Brick and Butch dropped their bags on the rooftop and stood beside their brother and father. Answering Boomer’s earlier question Alec said, “he’s with Aria and Ms.Keane in our basement with a few other neighbors. Staying safe.”

John turned with weary eyes and looked at the three boys, “how were they? How were they really? My girls, are the girls O.K?”

Brick looked at the ground before looking back at the man who seemed to be aging by the second, “they’re hurt pretty bad, but they’re still themselves.” He gave a small smile at the end of the statement. He meant that the girls were still the girls, their personalities were still there. “They looked better after we helped realign some bones and gave them the Chemical X like you told us to.”

Looking sick at the thought of his daughters being broken by this creature John turned back to reaching for his binoculars he had been using earlier but stopped. “Thank you, Brick, for letting me know.” He looked over his shoulder at the three adolescents, “thank you, all three of you, for going in there for me.”

A rumbling came from down on the street, the five looking over the edge to see the general was back in his hummer along with his lieutenant and several others.

“Utonium!” He bellowed, “what’s with your girls having those kids tell my guys to back up?”

Alarmed, John looked back at the Rowdyruffs and Butch placated with his hands, “it’s not what you think, Butters said they were worried to go too hard if there were still people on the outskirts of the city.” Boomer elbowed him and Butch finished, “something like that anyways.”

“You get all that, General?” Alec called down. With a discontented grunt the General leaned in for his walkie.

“Yes, stand down and keep anyone from venturing further.” Straightening up he looked up at Utonium, “I sure hope your girls know what they’re doing.”

John turned to the city as another loud eruption spouted up from the broken glass and concrete, the clouds appearing as if they were on fire while new and darker storm clouds seemed to be thundering their own cry as they approached the city.

**\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -**

Slamming both of her raw hands into the broken-up road Buttercup screamed a challenge back to HIM, her ponytail waving frantically behind her with the force that was building beneath her fingers and surging around her body. A crumpled Blossom was being fished out of twisted metal by Bubbles, desperately crying for her leader to reach back for her.

Long inky tentacles were slithering out of the wounds that HIM had sustained from the girls, it was using those now to whip them out of the air in an attempt to keep them grounded. The jaws of the beast opened again, and Bubbles twisted her head in time to have Buttercup’s cranium slam against her own face as they were flung away from their struggling leader.

“Girls!” Blossom was desperate as she fought to pull herself up and out of the pit she’d been swallowed into.

Yelping with surprise as the grotesque new face of HIM swung to look at her she could feel tears edging their way to the surface. It opened it’s static mouth again and the eerie radio-like sound mocked her, “awh look, the _fearless_ leader of the _Powerpuff Girls_ -! Reduced to the **weepy** _child_ the world **expects of her**.” The sinister and warped eye seemed to be staring into the depths of her mind, she was frozen as the bright green eye began to glow and illuminated her position.

How had she let herself be stuck like this? Why weren’t her arms working? Ashamed of the whimper that left her lips she clenched her eyes shut as she flung her arms out in front of her, the rose colored sparks and glow fighting against the green that seeped into the dark corners of her prison. “ _Bye, bye_!” The voice was mocking her and she could hear the sound of the tentacles coiling in the air.

A scream echoed through the city, and Blossom’s eyes snapped open as she saw Bubbles’ engulfed in that shining blue connect with HIM’s form. The blonde was using her ultrasonic scream to disrupt the creature’s concentration and was able to slam it off of it’s remaining clawed feet. As soon as Bubbles made contact with the body of HIM, Buttercup was in the entrance of the debris, her eyes were unfocused but frantic.

“I’ve got you!” Buttercup grasped Blossom’s hands in her own and really pulled, Blossom winced with pain and knew she’d fractured another bone but was so relieved to be out of the tangle of metal and stone she didn’t even acknowledge it.

Their eyes met and before Blossom could say anything she noticed HIM’s head twisted to look at Bubbles, the jaws opened in a distraction as a tentacle wrapped around her ankle and flung her into a crumbling building. The remaining forelegs that HIM possessed pushed it’s wounded body up off of a pile of overturned cars, gasoline and other fluids were coating the creature and the street, with it’s heavy tail it slammed the remaining standing pieces of the building Bubbles had been sent crashing into.

In a daze Bubbles struggled to her knees and pressed a hand to her head, when she drew it back it was coated in sticky and hot blood. A shout from Buttercup was all that she had warning-wise as she saw the tail slam into the standing remains. Her hands flew up and a flimsy barrier was all that kept her from being crushed under the heavy rock and stone. Although the Powerpuff Girls were created with superhuman strength, endurance, and healing abilities, they were still in mostly human bodies. There was only so much abuse they could go through.

Buttercup raced across the pavement, her hand outstretched and glowing as she lifted the heavy wall off of her sister. Without dropping it she pivoted and slammed it hard in the direction of HIM’s warped eye. The creature screeched but that was enough time for the three girls to get back into the air and congregate on top of a still standing building.

Huddled together, they could hear the ongoing rampage below. HIM was hissing, that eerie cast over it’s voice was driving into their brains and latching onto their fear.

“…I can _ssssssssssmell your fear_ , girls,” HIM’s voice taunted in that same sing-song way it always had. “I will **destroy you Powerpuffs** _if it’s the last thing I do_ …”

Bubbles whimpered and buried her face into Blossom’s neck, the three of them clutching one another and trying to make themselves as small as they possibly could. Buttercup’s knuckles were bleeding, running down her wrists and staining the cuffs of Boomer’s jacket, a massive tear was on the back from when she was sent reeling into Bubbles and then slid across the rough asphalt. Blossom’s own eyes looked empty and blank, dazed that they were in this situation. She didn’t know what to do, or think, or say to her sisters. She just kept her arms wrapped tightly around them.

“We have to do something…,” Bubbles’ voice was barely a whisper in the cacophony going on around them.

Buttercup grabbed the collar of her sister’s uniform jacket and pulled her so close their noses were almost touching, “I’m all out of ideas, we’ve been punching, kicking, using our abilities with no results.” One tear rolled down her cheek that Bubbles brushed away with her thumb.

Lowering her head to theirs Blossom gave a gulp and questioned, “why don’t we use the spinning ring move? I know we were never able to control it but…”

Jerking as if Blossom had struck her across the face, Buttercup hissed, “we can’t! We gave up on that because of how dangerous it was. You said it yourself- it’s as if our powers were trapped in a nuclear bomb. We’ll destroy the whole city.

“We’ll destroy _HIM_.” Blossom was chewing at the inside of her cheek; all she could taste was blood at this moment.

“We could die,” Bubbles was pointing out the obvious to her sisters, but someone _had_ to say it. 

“We could survive?” Buttercup tried to counter, but it came off as a weak question instead of a bold statement.

“I don’t think there is anywhere else we can turn right now. We have to protect Dad, our friends, the citizens.” Blossom’s legs trembled and screamed with pain as she forced herself to stand, Buttercup and Bubbles following suit. “I love you both, so, so, much,” Blossom whispered as she clung to them in one last embrace.

“Me too,” Buttercup choked out, never one for declarations of love or wearing her heart on her sleeve.

Bubbles was just letting the tears she had left run down her cheeks, “you’re my best friends, and I love you both _so_ much.” Her voice cracked and Blossom rested a hand on her cheek.

Taking a few steps away they shot off of the roof. With great difficulty Bubbles launched that red lightning to sun HIM into halting it’s hunt. She shocked it again as Blossom used not only her breath but rubbed her hands together and drew them outwards from her lips, using sharp icicles to pin HIM into place. Some sank through the growing tender flesh of the twisted creature and the scream it released caused windows to shatter. Buttercup focused on using the metal scraps to wrap around the boney jaws, the cylindrical tongue lolled out and the three of them were shot a glare of pure disdain.

HIM was having difficulties breaking through the icicle spears that had it trapped, the awkward angles forcing it into place. Clawed hands desperately reached to grab and pull the twisted metal around it’s muzzle. Taking this time they bought themselves, the girls shot high above the city, above the clouds and hovered close to the thermosphere, barely in view of the burning city and the inhabitants that had been forced onto the outskirts.

Shakily, Blossom opened her palms, feeling those sparks dancing down her arms, she was about to channel everything she had into this moment. The energy seemed to fly off of her body in colored waves, pulsing as her eyes were fully engulfed in that rose colored illumination. Already Bubbles and Buttercup were in position as they began to do the same, except they flew in two separate tight rings around Blossom.

Slowly as Blossom threw out her hands to stabilize the energy around her she felt Buttercup leave the outer ring, the back of her head touching Blossom’s shoulder blades, her hand open and waiting for her sister’s to clasp hers back. Bubbles fell into place, partially touching both girls with the back of her own skull, she gripped Buttercup’s hand fiercely and interlaced her fingers with hers.

Both of their eyes were shining beacons of blue and green, the energy rings they had left outside of the pink sphere they were inside were moving so rapidly that sparks broke off and moved throughout the sources. It was dangerously beautiful, if only this could’ve been a moment to admire their strength and not their possible demise.

Quickly Blossom moved her hands to intertwine her fingers with her sisters’ and she could’ve sworn she could feel their pulses beating rapidly through their palms. “Whatever you do,” she whispered, “don’t stop fighting.” The squeeze of their fingers on her own was the last time she knew she was 100% safe, because just after that moment they charged back through the atmosphere and plummeted to the broken city of Townsville.

**\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -**

Watching the three girls ascend through the sky, Boomer felt his heart clutch in worry, the darkness that was rolling in with the thunder gave the air a distinct scent of warning. He couldn’t figure out why the girls hadn’t just let them help. They’d helped on occasion before; Like when Blossom was sick with the flu, or when Buttercup went out of state to attend a game. It was true they were out of practice, but they could punch and kick with the best of them.

A red cap came into Boomer’s peripheral and when he glanced down to see Brick the tenseness that ran through his brother’s features left him uneasy. “You feel it too?” Brick asked Boomer without even looking at him.

Turning his face back towards the orange tinged city he breathed, “…yeah.” There wasn’t much else to say when you could feel the wrongness in something but didn’t know what to do.

“What’s-,” Alec’s voice caught their attention as he grabbed the binoculars from the makeshift set up that John had created. Stepping forward he lifted them to his eyes and tried to make sense of what he was seeing. This swirling ball of light with two rings moving opposite of one another was breaking through the clouds and smoke, the speed it seemed to be picking up was incredible as blue and violet flames seemed to be licking around the object.

John felt numbness creep into his body as he watched this play out before him. He wasn’t familiar with this move, it wasn’t one they’d been practicing by any means. Slowly he took two steps forward, his neck craned back so he could witness this feat.

The three Rowdyruffs stood in shock, it felt like the world was in slow motion as they watched this event unfold. Whatever they were doing, whatever force the girls were applying was zapping all the life out of the air. All happiness seemed suspended in a yesterday under a bright blue sky, while here they hung in limbo, unsure what tomorrow’s outcome would be.

From the street they could hear the general, “what on god’s green earth…,” he started to climb back into the vehicle, unsure what to make of the situation.

The last thing of HIM the citizens saw as they peered from windows and from the openness of their yards was the distorted creature of screeching with tentacles thrust forward and remaining clawed feet digging into the metal beam it had climbed upon. Whatever sound HIM had been bellowing was lost within the sound of heat and wind as the sphere grew closer and drenched HIM and the surrounding city in brightness.

The sound of the impact rattled seconds behind the connection of powers and monster, the blast of light was blinding and the faintest hue of lilac. Partially blinded by the scene Boomer turned and tried to shield his eyes, but froze with confusion as he watched Butch move his lips. His dark haired brother was looking out past him, but no sound seemed to be carried in the air.

“What?” Boomer squinted and leaned forward, the emptiness of the air seemed to be filling back up again.

Brik’s head twisted as he saw the ripple of debris go flying into the air, jostling remains of buildings and vehicles, it was a wave of destruction rushing through the area. “Get down!” Brick leapt partially across Boomer and reached for Alec’s arm, yanking his foster father to the hard roof of the Utonium residence.

Boomer slammed down hard on his knees as he saw Butch crouch down, his green eyes flicking over to something moving not too far from his own head. Boomer couldn’t even register it fully when Professor Utonium went flying through the air from the gust of power that was the aftermath of whatever it was the girls had done. He reached out and missed the man’s leg, the smooth pants barely grazed his fingers. “Butch!”

Reaching up from his position, Butch was wrenched onto his back as he clung to the scientist’s arm, both arms were now firmly wrapped around John’s leg and Butch yelled against the force of the air, “I’ve got you, Professor!”

John Utonium’s face was filled with pain and shock, his home vibrated with the force and he heard screaming as cars went flying backwards through the air, he could hear the general cry out as the hummer slammed into a heavy oak. The tree was now bowed, creaking as if it were about to give way and snap, falling into the Snyder’s roof.

Groaning metal and snapping wood fought to make a sound against the gust that was trying to overpower it, debris was flying overhead and Butch grimaced, relieved there was two feet of ledge above the roof to shield them from impact.

On his side he looked down, past his feet and to where he saw Boomer sprawled, Brick halfway on top as he gripped Alec’s arm with such force there was no doubt he’d be bruised when this was all over. _When this was all over_. It felt like hours that they were ducked down listening to cars smash into each other, the occasional person screaming as they were hurled through the air, and the full on force of the air forcing itself out in all directions.

In reality it was less than ten minutes, but reality is always more brutal, even when the effects don’t last as long.

Soon they could just hear the occasional scrape or thud as items bounced down the streets, voices of people calling out to one another, asking if they were alright and safe. With an unsteadiness that shouldn’t have been in the bones of three fourteen-year olds, the boys rose and staggered to their feet, blinking as the aftershocks of the wind and tremors from the ground came in small waves, minutes apart.

Alec was dazed and clasped his hand to his head, but John scrambled up frantically, stumbling to the edge of the roof closest to the city. What he saw was a smoking and dark husk, most of the worst fires seemed to be put out, some buildings still stood but they were the oldest ones that had even survived the first apocalyptic war. The dark storm clouds seemed to be rolling in, the heat in the air causing streaks of lightning to dance across the sky before the deep booms began.

Footsteps were racing up to the roof as the intern burst through the door, relief on his face in seeing that the collective was still up here and seemingly unharmed. “Thank god!” More people who had been in their homes and sheltered from the impact seemed to be slowly filing out, Mr. Snyder was helping the general and lieutenant out of their smashed-up vehicle, trying to safely extricate the other soldiers who had been with them as well.

“-all the windows facing the city are smashed and there are cracks in the ones towards the back, and-,” Rajan was babbling in an incoherent John’s ear, likely rolling the tide of shock himself and not even realizing his mentor was in no state to ease his worries.

Alec stepped over and turned Rajan to look at him, “give the man some space, the girls…,” Alec trailed off lamely, unsure how to complete this statement.

“We’ll go find them,” Brick announced, his body seemed to be shaking from the shock of it all but Boomer and Butch couldn’t say they were off any better.

“Yes,” Rajan seemed to come back down to earth, “I’ll go to the lab and fire up the tracker for their headsets too,” turning he dipped down into the house again. He had a purpose at that very moment, and it was to do his job.

Touching John’s arm, Alec soothed, “let’s go inside and get the tracker up and running, I’ll ask the general if he can get any tanks or undamaged vehicles for us to take into the city. It’s the least they can do.” Snapping out of his own daze John looked at Alec and gave a nod.

“Yes, that all sounds good, let’s do that.” He seemed to stumble over to the rooftop door and Alec helped him regain his balance. Looking back over at his sons he could see the worry lining their faces.

“Be careful, stay together and come get us when you find anything.” The words seemed to echo in Bricks head, _when you find anything_. _Anything_. Not, when you find _them_. _Anything_.

Boomer touched Brick’s arm with caution, “you ready?”

“Yeah,” he wasn’t but neither were his brothers.

Slowly they flew over the suburbs and towards the city, there were some gruesome sights as some people were trapped under cars, but wailing sirens reassured them that there was help coming. The air was still somewhat dense with smoke, and an empty wind blew trash across people’s lawns. There were families embracing in their front yards, classmates wrapping their arms around a pet that had taken cover during the initial fighting, and first responders on the move to do what they could. Already they knew that Citysville was going to be packed with Townsville transports, if there was one thing all these cities had gotten damn good at it was evacuating and moving people around.

Flying into the smoke that was seeping off of the charred city they noticed small fires still hanging on by a thread, broken pipes were burst and water was flowing in every which way around the destroyed streets. It was desolate. A lot like the pictures they’d seen in their history books when they had learned about the first large apocalypse 50 years ago. Since destruction was so common now people were much better at rebuilding than they used to be, what used to take years took months, and what would takes months could takes days or weeks even.

Butch made a sharp intake as they came over the crater, Brick was stone faced as he stared down into the emptiness. It was only four-hundred meters down, but it was probably just as wide. The fact that it hadn’t been larger was surprising but knowing the girls they’d probably tried to cause the least amount of damage as possible.

“I’m going to go down there, you two take either side out here,” Brick ordered them as easily as if he’d never stopped being their leader.

Both Butch and Boomer landed on opposite sides of the crater as they began to spread out over the uneven ground. Brick slowly moved down inside the cool darkness. He was chilled to his bones as he reached out and touched a perfectly smooth wall. Every later of dirt, of pipes, of old asphalt… it was all here and neatly shown in a smooth and unnatural cleanliness. “Damnit, Red,” he whispered to himself. At the very bottom he came to see bits and pieces of HIM, the red skin, a chunk of bone from that massive jaw, several of the teeth.

Looking around him there was nothing left, there was absolutely nothing. He turned and looked above him at the grey and lonely sky, the feel of rain on the air was growing stronger. He needed to find the girls before that happened, he knew they were hurt, he could _feel_ it. Red string theory and all, Brick knew he was permanently tied to those girls, tied to one Blossom Utonium.

His head jerked when he heard the rustling of debris on the surface, somehow feeling at ease knowing his brothers were trying just as hard for the girls as he was. He came up and landed on the outside of the crater, surprised to see that Boomer was already halfway down the street, hurling a broken car with the alarm going off into the side of a still standing building. “Take it easy!” He called, Boomer only whipped his head in Brick’s direction and he knew his brother wasn’t doing so well.

His eyes were illuminated, cobalt and bright.

He lifted himself up in the air just a bit to see Butch was lifting and tossing chunks of concrete out of the way, looking into the lobbies of buildings that were scattered with overturned furniture and a few vehicles. It wasn’t long until he was on his knees digging through twisted metal and stone, he was refusing to even look in Brick’s direction. At that moment Brick went to the car whose alarm was still echoing off of the city surroundings, ripping the battery right out of the car and tossing it aside. His ears were alert but his brain kept repeating it over and over that he had to find the girls, that time was running out. He could see Blossom’s face in front of him, that same heavy sadness when they’d brought them the Chemical X.

He wiped at his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt, he didn’t have time for this.

Although it was only a hiss on the air, Brick caught it when he heard Butch, “shit.”

Nodding his head towards Boomer, “Butch has something,” Boomer in all his anger just kept ripping away at the debris on the street. He was deaf to his surroundings, only interested in locating Buttercup, or Bubbles, or Blossom. Any of them. All of them. He jerked violently when Brick whipped him around.

“What?” He snapped with frustration and Brick just narrowed his eyes for a moment. He could let this go.

“Butch found something I think,” and before Brick could say anything further Boomer was darting across the damage and crater. His sneakers made a violent squeak as he approached Butch.

“What is it? What did you find?” He was breathless and paid no attention as Brick appeared at his side. Butch only kneeled on the asphalt, his back facing his brothers. There was just silence and dread began crawling into Boomer and Brick’s chests. “What is it?” Boomer tried one more time.

“Show me,” Brick’s voice was flat as he approached, but as soon as the crunch of gravel was behind him Butch shot up to his feet. His face was grim as he turned to look Brick in the eye.

“I don’t even think it- … it doesn’t mean that-,” his voice cracked, truly showing his youth.

“Show. Me.” Brick held out his hand, his palm face up to invite whatever evidence had been collected.

With a trembling hand Butch moved his fist onto Brick’s hand, when he released it Brick wished he hadn’t even said anything to his brother. Sitting there was a scorched and tattered red ribbon. It was two inches thick, no strands of hair clung to it’s fibers so in theory it _could_ be someone else’s.

As if reading his thoughts Butch started, “i-it could just be from one of the stores-,” Boomer started to walk forward, curious as to what they were talking about. One look at the dirty red ribbon in Brick’s hand made all color drop from his face. He reached forward but noticed how Brick’s fingers reflexively tensed up.

Trying to echo Butch, Boomer tried, “it might be from someone else, you know how people like dressing like-,” he was cut short.

“Shut up.” Brick couldn’t let his eyes move from the only tie he had to Blossom right now, clenching his fist around it he brought it close to his face. Closing his eyes he inhaled deeply, he was trying to look past the smell of smoke and ash- and there! There he found it.

Lingering deep within the red fibers was that deeply familiar scent that made Blossom who she was. The smell of her fresh rose shampoo, something he’d always found he loved when she tossed her hair over her shoulder. Beside that though, what really made it Blossom was the distinct smell of paper, of the books she’d cram her ribbons into when she forgot a bookmark. She always forgot to use a real bookmark.

Gritting his teeth he clenched his eyes tighter, he should have ignored her! He ignored her before, he was fine with doing what he wanted, especially when it brought all her attention onto him. If he focused hard enough she would be here, she’d ask him what he was so worked up about and laugh when he told her, ‘you.’

Slowly he opened his eyes, lowering the ribbon away from his face, his throat was so tight. Looking up he saw Butch’s drawn face, and Boomer looked like he was trying to decide if he should cry or throw up. His voice was hoarse and tight as he tried to keep his emotions in, “where did you find this?”

Butch had seen Brick once, and only once. When he realized how much Alec and Holt loved him and his brothers, but those had been tears of relief and happiness. He was on the verge of so much more than that now, dangerously teetering into rage and sadness. It was rolling off of Brick in waves, it was palpable to both Butch and Boomer, they were all so tightly tied to one another they could feel this pain in the same way.

“It was wrapped around one of those polls,” Butch pointed at the corner, he himself was trying to keep it together. He had a reputation… a reputation that didn’t matter if the girls were dead. No-! They don’t want him to slide back. His head flashes to Blossom patiently going over his math homework with him, when Buttercup taught him how to ice skate so they could play ice hockey together, the feeling of Bubbles’ hand wrapped around his as she pulls him towards the jellyfish exhibit at the aquarium.

His hand clenches at his chest, as if he can dig his fingers into his skin and manually pump his own heart. It _hurts_.

Boomer looks like a wasp, his golden waves are pushed back and out of his face as he digs through the rubble with Brick, moving from each pile with more and more speed. Something goes flying with the items that Boomer is pulling out of his way, he’s blindly trying to reach the bottom as if that’s where the girls are buried.

The wind blows this chunk of fabric across the street, the sound of metal being scraped echoes in Butch’s head as he watches it fight to stay on the ground. Theres a bright color he knows well, he was staring straight at it only hours ago. Numb and driven by pure determination Butch walks, his stride is long and he hears Boomer yell in the fog behind his head. He reaches his hand out, but the wind picks this time to drag the fabric away a few more feet. Now there’s anger in him as he runs and clutches the fabric in his hand, he jerks it hard to his chest as he feels like the wind might steal this from him too.

It’s already stolen something. He knows it, he feels in in his chest and behind his eyes. He hears the muffled call of his name from behind him but he’s too busy looking at what he’s holding. It’s small, it’s dirty and ripped, and scorched. The bright blue reflective stripe that runs along the zipper is partially melted; the metal zipped is slightly warped itself but it’s clinging onto three pale strands of hair caught in it’s teeth. He remembers staring at that blue stripe and the pressure of her forehead and hand. Butch hears beside him the ragged scream of Boomer, his fist slams into his shoulder before his head rests there. Being open with emotions was always Boomer’s thing.

Brick cups his hands around his mouth and screams, “Blossom! Blossom!- Buttercup! Bubbles!” A ragged breath, “answer me!”

There’s a rumbling of trucks and tanks moving into the area now, several helicopters are hovering above despite the rumble of thunder ahead. Butch turns to slowly face Boomer, he ignores the running nose and the steady stream of tears as he inhales violently and a sob comes out. They’re only fourteen. As Boomer rubs his eyes with his fist he holds up in his other hand a piece of Blossom’s jacket, the bright pink is out of place in the gloom of the predicament.

Beside that is a smoking chunk of a familiar black combat boot, just the ball and part of the laces, but the laces are bright green and black tie-dye, and there are two knots right between the third eyelets. Butch opens his mouth but nothing comes out, he thinks he hears their dads calling their names. He feels the cool raindrops fall on his skin, usually this would be so appropriate… what did Bubbles say? ‘ _I like when it rains after a fight, it’s like it’s cleansing the whole city, washing away all the scariness and sadness, and then we become stronger and happy again.’_ He grips the scrap of jacket tighter in his hand.

Brick’s voice cuts through his head, “- _please_! Blossom!” the ragged edges of his voice… he’s been screaming longer than he realized. How long have they been standing there? There are blue and red lights, and everything feels like it’s slowing down.

In the corner of his eye he sees Papa Holt running past them, he’s climbing over the ruins of the city before he reaches Brick and wraps his arms around his son. Papa Holt pulls Brick close and Butch finally sees him break, but this isn’t relief, this is grief. Have they ever even felt grief before? As in really experienced it? Disappointment, fear, anger, hopelessness, frustration, he knew those and could remember each time they’d been plagued by those feelings but this… this was all new territory.

The silence going through Butch’s head was more than he could take, he wanted to run to Brick and Papa Holt too. Brick had buried his face into Holt’s arm, his arms clutching his anchor as he let his body slump against the older man’s. Brick’s mouth was open, Butch could tell that he was screaming even if the words weren’t reaching him yet. With surprise he jerked forward and turned to look at the hand that had touched his arm, Alec’s drawn face was there and he looked so sad.

Boomer was wrapped up in one arm, Alec’s fingers trying to comfortingly stroke the wet golden waves, but his other arm was reaching out to his ‘toughest’ son. Butch must’ve looked dazed, but one step was all it took for his Dad to pull him in tight and clutch him as if he were afraid that Butch might vanish like the girls did if he didn’t. Alec’s hands brushed through his hair and halfway down his back, over and over, Butch never once remembered feeling so small in his life. His eyes could see over his dad’s shoulder and he watched as soldiers were moving around, a uniformed Ms. Bellum was directing them in the rain, John Utonium sat motionless in a soft top brown jeep without even really looking at the three Rowdyruffs.

A soldier ran over with a large umbrella to cover them, he appeared to be asking their dad a question. Alec’s arm tightened around Butch and when he leaned forward he could feel moisture running down his face, but they were covered now so how? Without even realizing his actions Butch brought his hand to his face to wipe the water away, but as soon as he did he felt it slide down his face again. Shakily he touched his eyes, he was crying. This-, and immediately his throat closed and his heart sank to the bottom of his stomach. Clenching his eyes tight he wrapped his arm around Alec’s shoulder and really bawled.

In that moment the world came back to him.

It was trucks screeching as they worked on loading debris and carting it off, it was Alec’s voice as he answered the soldier’s questions above Boomer’s muffled sobs, it was Brick’s quieting howls of grief and the low murmur of Holt’s voice. It was people moving and stone clacking against other stone, the sound of the rain hitting the umbrella and a few airships being guided to start transporting people from the bunkers in the city. The sound though that Butch didn’t anticipate hearing was the falling of the Professor as he clutched some of their findings in his arms and the cry that followed it.

They were only fourteen.

**Author's Note:**

> Will possibly edit in the future. This has been sitting in my brain for two months, I hope you enjoy it as much as I've enjoyed writing it! I'm still working on OCAOTR -- so sit tight.


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